Priorities
by DimiGex
Summary: Kakashi comes home from a failed mission with a question that refuses to let him rest


**Author's Note: **This is set in the Altered Reality universe. I know it's not the next chapter, but hopefully this snippet will tide you over!

* * *

Blood oozed through a gash in Kakashi's armor, pulsing in time with his heartbeat. He grunted and pressed a hand beneath his flak vest to staunch the flow. Blinking through rain that reduced his visibility to less than a dozen feet, Kakashi tried to pinpoint his location. The treacherous footing had forced him to travel on the ground after entering Konoha. He'd avoided the gate because it required answering questions that he didn't have the strength for. Not yet, anyway.

The injures on Kakashi's body were a testament to how badly the mission had gone. He ignored the pain stabbing through his leg with every step. Kakashi knew that he needed to report his failure to the Hokage's office and surrender himself to the hospital for observation, but more important matters took precedence. There were things that Kakashi had to do first.

Thunder cracked overhead, loud enough to make the buildings tremble, then lightning temporarily blinded him to the present and dragged him into the past.

_A woman begged then screamed, horror palpable in her voice. Hot blood fountained, spraying Kakashi's face and mask. A second cry drowned out the first, and a man stumbled forward. Overlapping commands filled Kakashi's ears, then laughter._

The lightning faded, throwing Kakashi into complete darkness. He steadied himself against a wall, leaving bloody trails in his wake. Rain washed the marks away almost instantly. Kakashi didn't notice. He didn't have room for anything beyond his current objective. Shoving sodden hair from his eyes, he stumbled as the building in front of him doubled, tripled, then coalesced as one again. Kakashi pushed forward, ignoring the trivial annoyance.

Kakashi estimated the time to be well past midnight, but the clouds made it difficult to get an exact reading. The streets were empty enough that he could move freely on the ground, at least, almost unheard of in a shinobi village. The darkness and weather gave him the cover that he needed. Thankful for small blessings, the jonin slipped down another alleyway.

Pain pulsed behind Kakashi's eyes when he stopped to check his location. Nodding, he cut across one of the parks that dotted the village. Wet grass clung to his legs as he jogged and Kakashi tripped, falling onto his right hip. He didn't hit the ground hard, but rolled onto his back and sucked in a pained breath anyway. Grunting, Kakashi pressed his hand against his still throbbing side, only to be rewarded by a fresh stab of pain. His wound must have reopened. _Just hold on a little longer_, he pleaded.

Gritting his teeth, Kakashi struggled to his feet and managed to find them on the second try. He rested his palm against a tree trunk as the world spun and concentrated on breathing. Blinking to clear the persistent black spots dancing in his vision, Kakashi shook his head. For the next five minutes, he focused on putting one foot in front of the other until he reached his destination. Then, he had just enough mental capacity to second guess himself.

The voices returned. Their pleading, screaming, and incoherent weeping drowned out the thunder. Kakashi covered his ears and squeezed his eyes shut to stop the memories. It didn't help; they poured through his mind.

Pressing a hand into his wound pulled Kakashi back to the present. He leapt for the small balcony overhead, misjudged the distance when it moved mid flight, and had to catch himself on the railing to avoid pitching back to the street. The movement knocked the air from his lungs, but muscle memory helped him swing exhausted legs across the banister. He stumbled on the wet stone and nearly fell.

Sheer purple curtains covered the doors leading into the apartment. Kakashi drew a ragged breath and rested one hand against the pane. His fingers left streaks of crimson as darkness swirled before his eyes. Kakashi's knees buckled, then he collapsed. _Even the universe doesn't want me to do it_, he laughed soundlessly,succumbing to unconsciousness.

* * *

Rin startled awake with the impression that something was wrong. Heart hammering against her ribs, she pushed the blankets off and looked around her room. Everything was exactly as she'd left it when going to bed. Rubbing her arms, she checked the clock. Almost two in the morning.

"Must have been a nightmare," Rin said to fill the echoing silence. When she couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness squeezing her chest, Rin pushed to her feet. The earlier storm had spent its fury, tapering off to steady rain that pattered against the window. Moonlight peeked out between the clouds.

Rin frowned into the night. Kakashi was out there somewhere, on another mission that she wished he hadn't taken. She knew that they were shinobi and it was his job, but she missed having his back. When Rin dedicated herself to learning medical ninjutsu, she'd been removed from active status until she completed her training. Eventually, she'd be able to watch over Kakashi, and Obito too, but she had to trust someone else for now

Trying not to shiver, Rin crossed her arms over her chest. The grey pants and long-sleeved, white shirt that she wore should have been enough to drive back the chill but they didn't stop the goosebumps that crawled over her flesh. Rin pulled a blanket from the foot of the bed and draped it around her shoulders. The calmness of her room felt unsettling and restless energy kept her from returning to bed.

Rin normally wasn't superstitious, but her nervousness refused to quiet. Sighing, she crossed the room to gaze out at the night sky. She'd always found the stars calming, though she wasn't certain that she'd be able to see any with the remnants of the storm in the sky. A dark shape huddling against the wall caught her attention. Frowning, Rin pushed the curtain aside to get a better look. It took her longer than it should have to recognize a body slumped in the rain.

Fear pumping through her chest, Rin tore open the door and rushed outside. Slippery stones made her fall next to the shinobi. Her eyes did a double take at the unmistakable silver hair plastered to the icy forehead. Dampness soaked through the fabric of Rin's pants, but she didn't notice. "Kakashi?"

The man didn't respond. When Rin raised a hand to Kakashi's cheek, it felt as cold as the water pouring between them. A keening sound reached her ears, and a terrified moment later, she realized it had come from her throat. _You're a medical shinobi, get it together, _Rin chided, trying to settle her frantic thoughts. Shaking off the paralysis of shock, she dragged Kakashi into the relative warmth of her apartment.

Flicking on the lamp revealed a scene from Rin's nightmares. Crimson stained the front of Kakashi's flak vest, overlapping layers of fresh red and dried brown. His normally pale skin had taken on an ashen cast, turning blue around his lips. Repeating Kakashi's name, Rin tugged at the zipper of his armor, cursing her numb fingers and the slick surface. It finally came loose. A bandage had tangled in Kakashi's sodden shirt, pulling away from a deep puncture wound between two ribs when Rin tossed the garment aside. The lack of blood pumping from the cut terrified Rin in a way that her mind refused to accept.

"No, no, no," Rin repeated. Her frozen fingers struggled to remove Kakashi's mask then fumbled for his pulse point. She forced her mind not to think about how cold he felt while waiting for the reassurance of a heartbeat that never came.

Cursing, Rin scrambled to Kakashi's side and centered her hands against his chest to start compressions. She couldn't think of anything but the speed and force of the movement. With every press of her palms blood leaked down Kakashi's side to puddle on the bedroom floor.

"Breathe for me," Rin encouraged before covering Kakashi's lips with hers. She forced two quick puffs of air into his lungs then moved back to his chest. As the minutes dragged on, memories of Obito dying in her arms filled Rin's eyes and ran down her cheeks. "I can't do this again."

Rin pulsed chakra into Kakashi's body, searching for an answering flicker of life. She knew his energy signature almost as well as her own, but it wasn't there. The green healing glow emanated from her skin as she willed life back into Kakashi, muscles trembling from the effort of each compression and breath.

Something clattered by the door, but Rin didn't have the energy to turn. If she was meant to die tonight, at least it would by Kakashi's side. Someone whispered her name, then strong arms scooped she and Kakashi up like they weighed nothing. The world spun.

* * *

Warmth woke Kakashi, racing through his veins and muscles like fire. He shivered at the sudden return of sensation, then gritted his teeth when pain followed in its wake. Everything hurt, like his body had been ripped apart then stitched back together. His chest ached like someone had beat on it with a hammer. Broken bits of conversation reached Kakashi's ears, and he forced his eyes open despite the harsh fluorescents overhead.

"We can take it from here-"

"I'm not leaving him." Kakashi couldn't place the first voice, but he would have recognized the second anywhere. Prying his eyes open a second time, he found Rin looming above him, hands poised over his chest. Tears had left dirty streaks down her cheeks, and guilt haunted her expression in way that Kakashi had only seen one other time: the day they lost Obito.

A hand touched Rin's shoulder, and she turned toward it in a daze. Shame prickled through Kakashi as her body came into view. Blood coated her stomach and arms, soaking through her shirt and pants. Kakashi's mind registered the various hues like a timeline, darker blots for when she'd discovered him shifting toward brighter reds where his wound reopened in transit.

The touch on Rin's arm tightened, guiding her away. "Come on, let them do their jobs."

Rin nodded, movements stiff as she took in the faces around her without recognition.. She paused halfway off the bed, drawing a deep breath that turned into a sob, then her knees buckled. The air beside Rin stirred and someone caught her before she could hit the floor. Kakashi glimpsed a familiar swirl of red and white before darkness pulled him back under.

The next time that Kakashi opened his eyes, calm had replaced the frenetic energy. Sunlight filtered through the trees outside his window, burning his eyelids enough to make him turn away. Kakashi's body responded sluggishly to the command, and terror rose in his throat before he recalled the common symptom of chakra exhaustion. He blinked at the ceiling, wondering how long he'd been unconscious.

"Almost a week." A voice answered Kakashi's unasked question. He cut his eyes to the side, surprised to see a shock of red hair where he'd expected brown. "And, you're damn lucky that you woke up at all."

Kakashi ran his tongue over his lips, trying to wet them enough to speak. It felt like he hadn't had a drink in months. After three attempts, he managed to croak Rin's name. Kushina snorted and rose, pouring a glass of water from the pitcher beside his bed. "I sent her home to shower and sleep. And, before you ask, I shooed the Hokage back to his office."

While Kakashi hadn't been planning to ask about Minato, the fact that Kushina used his title wasn't a good sign. It might have been better if Kakashi's body had waited a few more hours before waking. He opted to close his eyes and take a mental inventory of his injuries. Chakra exhaustion made for a nasty few weeks, but it wouldn't kill him. And, if he'd been unconscious as long as Kushina said, he should be on the upside of things. He tried to focus his chakra and immediately released the tension when his head felt like it would split from the pressure.

"Not a good idea," Kushina observed from beside the bed, tone difficult to read. "You're supposed to be resting."

Kakashi grunted, unsure if his vocal cords were up to the challenge of speaking. Kushina held the cup of water to his lips, her frown deepening as he drank. The lukewarm liquid eased the parched feeling just enough. "How bad?"

"Bad," Kushina answered, pinching her lips together like couldn't decide whether to burden Kakashi with something he wouldn't like. Then, the words spilled out without warning. "Do you have any idea how close you came to dying? You lost so much blood and exhausted your chakra to the point that your heart stopped. If Rin hadn't found you when she did, if she didn't have the medical training that she does..."

Kushina stopped, inhaled for a measured count, then let the air out in the same manner. If anything, her blue eyes looked angier than when Kakashi had first woken up. "What were you thinking, going to her apartment instead of the hospital? I know she's a medic, but it's not the same thing."

As Kushina's tirade lost steam, shame rolled through Kakashi. He'd known that his chakra level had sunk dangerously low, but it shouldn't have been enough to render him unconscious. Similarly, his wounds had been bad, but not life-threatening, especially considering they'd been bandaged. Kakashi frowned. He remembered his urgency to find Rin, but the other details were fuzzy.

"You were damn lucky," Kushina hissed, slamming the cup back onto the table so hard that water sloshed out. "When Rin couldn't get your heart beating, she panicked. The frantic surge of healing chakra somehow activated the seal on her wrist. Minato was able to get you to the hospital in time, _barely_."

Kakashi wanted to offer some defense, a compelling reason that he'd gone to Rin instead of the hospital, but nothing came to mind. Broken memories flashed through his mind: the blood on Rin's clothes as Minato pulled her away, slender, shaking hands, and terror in her eyes. Kakashi's empty stomach clenched, bile surging into his throat. For one horrifying moment, he thought he'd throw up, but managed to fight the sensation down. "I'm sorry."

"You're _sorry_?" Kushina scoffed, managing to turn the apology into an insult. She opened her mouth to argue further when the sound of the door stopped her. Something heavy thudded against the floor, then warmth bowled into Kakashi's side hard enough to knock the breath from his lungs.

"You're awake," Rin gasped, tears spilling down her cheeks as she ran her eyes over Kakashi's body like she couldn't believe what they were seeing.

Before Kakashi could think of what he wanted to say, Rin's open handed slap jerked his head to the side. The sound echoed in the still room, and he was too stunned to rub the sting away from his jaw. Rin's brown eyes were rimmed in crimson and fresh tears had smeared the purple streaks on her cheeks. The image sparked a visceral reaction that threatened to choke Kakashi. It was identical to the night of Obito's memorial.

Gritting his teeth against the weakness in his body, Kakashi forced one hand from under the blankets to tug Rin closer. She startled at the touch, but didn't pull away. If anything, she melted closer.

"I love you," Kakashi whispered. He hadn't planned to say that, not really. He wanted to apologize for the horrors that he'd put Rin through over the past week, but there were no words strong enough. He settled on the one thing that he knew was true and hoped it was enough.

Rin frowned as she pulled back to look into Kakashi's eyes. Surely the woman knew that she was the center of his world and had been for years. Kakashi's mission had gone horribly wrong, but he hadn't worried about his injuries or making a report, he'd only thought about seeing Rin and telling her that he'd been an idiot. For asking her-

The reason that Kakashi had gone to Rin's apartment slammed into him. Suddenly, he wished that he had the strength to stand, kneel, or at least push himself into a sitting position. Butterflies fluttered inside Kakashi's stomach as he cupped Rin's face. Then, he took a deep breath and asked the question that had been weighing on him since he reached Konoha. "Will you marry me?"

Rin's mouth fell open, a mix of anger and shock on her face as Kushina snorted from the other side of the bed. Kakashi swallowed around the lump in his throat, ignoring the woman. "I wanted to ask you the other night. That's why I went to your apartment instead of the hospital."

"I thought I'd lost you," Rin choked, fresh tears washing down her face. "I couldn't bear-"

"I'm sorry," Kakashi whispered, shushing Rin before the rest of her words could come out. He wished that he could offer something besides inadequate apologies, but that was all he had.

Kakashi waited as Rin's quiet sobs spent themselves against his chest. She stayed still for several long seconds before pushing onto her elbows above Kakashi'. "Never do that again." He opened his mouth to say that he couldn't promise that, as much as he'd like to, when Rin spoke over him. "Yes."

"Yes?" Kakashi asked, repeating the word stupidly.

Rin laughed and nodded. Then, as reality sank in, Kakashi found himself laughing too. Especially when Rin tugged down his mask to kiss him. For once in his life, everything felt right.


End file.
